Our Editor-in-Chief Oscar was going to review the new English Tearoom. He is English, after all. It made sense. But then we pushed our review back a month, and at that time, our English editor was so English that he was in England. So instead, our American editor Noelle, who is so American that she’s listening to a Spotify playlist entitled “Workout Twerkout” and munching on Pringles while writing this review, paid a visit instead.
Still, as a passport-carrying, burger-eating American, my views are untainted by nostalgia and national pride. I’m just an American girl who likes food and trap music. And now, I like food and trap music and the English Tearoom.
This Shunyi cafe-restaurant is a haven of pastels and soft music and natural lighting. Its decor is everything Beatrix Potter books taught me English interiors ought to be – hospitable and tidy. Staff make us feel welcome as soon as we enter, and we opt for a long, wooden table, not unlike the kind you’d (presumably) see in dining rooms across the British countryside.
The first of Beijing’s English Tearooms opened in 2012, but this new branch launched quietly this summer. Found just a few blocks away from the some of the city’s biggest international schools, the English Tearoom is undoubtedly family friendly.
It is also lunch. The British comfort-food menu offers something for everyone. And yes, the English Tearoom serves more than just tea. We opt for Americanos (sorry) and lattes before diving into our classic burger (RMB88) and one of the best renditions of fish and chips (RMB98) we’ve tried in the city. For adventurous appetites, the large portion fish and chips is a real whopper: 400g of battered fish for your wolfing pleasure.
Still, we find the most alluring aspect of the English Tearoom to be its atmosphere, which is both kid- and adult-friendly (there are lower-to-the-ground kids’ sinks, as well as a fridge full of imported beers). And while the playlist on the stereo is decidedly more relaxing than Workout Twerkout, even this American food editor could get down to it.
See a listing for The English Tearoom.
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